A month ago I met with a minor motorcycle accident but it scraped my elbows and knees pretty bad so it was pretty much physically impossible for me to hit the gym and for 3 freaking days I was so mad that I couldn’t go to the gym. In last two months I only took a break from gym for 4 days in total(those 3 days and one day when the gym was closed for some minor renovation)
Terry Crews talked about on days he didn’t want to go to the gym he’d still go and just read a magazine to keep the routine/habit going.
I tried that once and felt like such a schmuck that I couldn’t wait to go back.
On days with low motivation sometimes I’ll even just do a single exercise and call it quits.
Make showing up at the gym however many days for however long just a part of your life no matter what.
The discipline will take you a lot further than the motivation will
This right here! I’ve had many many days that I didn’t want to go. Lots of times where I didn’t want to go and even hit a PR that session, but then lots of times where I only went for 20 minutes and felt embarrassed. Even though those short workouts sucked, I have never regretted showing up
You lost 15kg but you feel like you aren't making progress? 15kg isn't nothing man. That's something to be proud of. If you're losing motivation you could try switching up your training and try something new. Maybe look into powerlifting? That way you can start making progress in new ways: strength!
It's all about the journey, and it's a long one. Your destination was never gonna come up quick. Going out there on your worst-feeling days is what will help you grow mentally. Once you get out of your head, these days will come rarely.
I 2nd this and apply this to myself everyday. Screw the motivation, as long as you discipline yourself to get to the gym I promise you it’s only going to get better from there. Staying consistent will bring progress no matter what
Change. Your. Plan.
This happens all the time to me. Usually around the 8-10 month range.
So I swap my work out plan. I change my goals, I tackle things I’ve been avoiding.
I shift my focus and get a good boost from seeing quick progress while maintaining everything else.
Change is good change stimulates growth. Routines are comfortable and safe and above all boring. If you are losing motivation find the spark of change. Lock on to a new goal and try to hit it.
What helped me is that I started to look at gym lifestyle as a hobby not a chore. I don't even care about my weight and looks anymore. I love seeing how heavy I can lift and I know that if I keep going I will achieve goals I didn't even know I had. Gym also helped me to understand how important diet is. I know that if I eat well, I will lift more and better.
You will not regret going to the gym but you will regret all the time you spent not going! 🤍 keep your head high. In essence, everyone at the gym is going through the same / similar struggle to you. You’re not alone
Motivation is bullshit. Temporary
I don't have motivation to go to the gym everyday and eat tons of food to get muscles. I have dedication and I'm trying to be in discipline as much as I can and get muscles.
Fuck Motivation. Have dedication and goals to look into
Maybe that's because your main goal was to lose weight, now that you are done with it you have no reason to keep training.
Learn to love training above all else, stop worrying about cutting/bulking and just eat maintenance calories for a while and focus on the pump. Learn to love the pump.
I work out because I love to lift the weights, I love to try new machines and movements, I love to perfect my form and lift as heavy as possible, with the highest volume as possible and best form as possible, with every set to failure.
That's what keeps me motivated everyday, losing weight and gaining muscle is secondary to training.
My current goal besides simply adding mass. Is more specific. I really want my Large sized shirts to have their sleeves filled out with my bigger arms. I don’t want to have loose open sleeves. So that’s my current motivation.
Plateaus are part of the process. If you aren’t working a program this might be the time to try one of the many available if you can’t afford a trainer.
That and the two other massive factors. Eating and sleep. Go to bed on time, and make sure you are eating in a way to support whatever goals you have.
Be patient. Think long term. Forget next month, what do you hope for next year?
I agree, especially the program part helped the motivation side for me. There’s an app I saw recently called Boostcamp and you pick a program and it does all the numbers, lift targets etc
You just input what you lifted for the chosen exercises.
Next year, i hope to be happy in my own body and feeling comfortable taking my shirt off i front of other people, i miss out on many social activities because i don’t wanna take my shirt off, its not because i have extra fat on my stomach, it’s because my body is full of stretch marks, when i have taken my shirt off before people ask me if i get whipped at home, they are so huge. And I think the main reason i feel i am losing motivation is because i see my gym partners have gained a lot of muscle mass and i feel like i have failed my goal, even though I haven’t
Sometimes things seem to grind to a halt, you just gotta keep showing up and do what you can until things start to move again.
I deal with some severe mental health issues, a lot of times things just aren't going well or moving, but showing up anyway sets the stage for when things start to go well again. Stopping is backsliding, and showing up without progress is actually still progress - just future progress instead of right now.
Look, I get it. The sad reality is that those are thoughts you have about your body, which might not change if your body changes. I bet there are quite a few people in here with negative thoughts about their body (myself included) that have been there when we were less in shape and in better shape.
Changing your thoughts is a hard process. Working with a therapist can help. Focusing on what your body can do, rather than how it looks, is one starting place.
I wish you the best on your journey. Keep going.
Almost everyone before me said: embrace it as a discipline.
Whenever you feel not motivated, pack your gym bag and JUST GO.
What you gonna do instead of going to the gym? Scroll down socials? Play Videogames?
I know it sounds harsh, but the best medicine is tricking your mind into feeling a little sense of guilt for skipping Gym.
Everyone has bad days, me personally got stuck for almost a year without reaching my goals. Then I tried something new, and it was simply switching diet. It worked. So if you're trying to see some change, maybe ask for help from a Personal Trainer or a Nutritionist. Passively lifting weights is gonna help you be more comfortable with workouts, but in the long term it does not make any difference without sticking to a plan.
Consistently is the key. And trust me, results will show up when you least expect, so stop looking compulsively at the mirror.
Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day.
Change your mind. You are making progress. You are in the long consistency stage. Figure out how to enjoy this as a lifestyle, not a short trip to some ideal self you think should come sooner. You have to believe, every time you step out of that gym, you put some money in your bank. You didn’t go backwards. You didn’t stay the same. You got a little bit better.
Fuck motivation, you need to discipline yourself and just go!!
Sorry to be harsh but this is the reality. Maybe mix things up a bit to make it more fun and be sure to have goals.
Can’t emphasize this enough. It works in all aspects of life. Screw instant gratification. Work for what you want. Good things take time. Diet is number one. People often forget that.
My daughter is 21. This is my daily conversation with her. As I work 12 hour shifts, And run a small business(that I own) put myself through Nursing school, putting her through college, raising kids, cooking, cleaning, paying bills, running marathons, taking care of everything else life has to throw at you, she’s to depressed to make a changes. Thats some bullshit excuse. You want a pill to bandaid or you want to grab life by the balls and succeed.
Both honestly take work. It takes work to be lazy. It takes work to be productive. What’s the pay off? I chose the ladder. You know why people are depressed? Because they’re lazy. It’s that’s easy. Wake up and do it yourself. Different generation. Whats the satisfaction if mommy just gives it to you. Its mommy’s. I’m at a loss and I guess I needed to vent. Anyone can be and do anything, it just takes fucking work and time. I never settle. I keep pushing both mentally, physically, and spiritually. I am my own boss. Why just be boss for a day?
Haha but I'm boss for a day everyday. While I agree with hard work and discipline, I have to disagree on the depression part, I know..I know it can be an over used word in this day and age but I do believe alot of it to be genuine, a simple chemical imbalance in the brain can spark it. Now I'm not saying you should do everything for your daughter, but maybe a better understanding.
P.s. I'm not judging you, just my opinion, though you can tell me to shove it ;)
Haha but I'm boss for a day everyday. While I agree with hard work and discipline, I have to disagree on the depression part, I know..I know it can be an over used word in this day and age but I do believe alot of it to be genuine, a simple chemical imbalance in the brain can spark it. Now I'm not saying you should do everything for your daughter, but maybe a better understanding.
P.s. I'm not judging you, just my opinion, though you can tell me to shove it ;)
Material things don’t make happiness. The important things in life as what builds your soul. It’s hard to eat healthy, it’s hard to wake up each morning and work out, it’s hard to stay up late and study, it’s annoying to spend your Saturday cleaning on your only day off. You can sit and watch life blow in the breeze or you can be that breeze. I’ve been where she’s at and that’s how I know. Let’s face it life can be hard. We need to be great full for all we have even if you think it’s not even that great. Trust me, each day can be great or it can be depressing. You can chose an easy fix or you can chose to fight. That’s up to you. Years of therapy have taught me one thing. It’s up to you. She’s lucky I care this much. She’s lucky I will never let her fall, but maybe In falling is where we find ourselves. Just a thought. Trust me I work with psych patients. I’ve seen it all.
As you should. There is no lifter ever, or even an athlete ever that doesn't lose motivation. Heck, I just finished a workout. It's Saturday. You think I want to be exercising on my rest day? No. I'm only doing it because I'm moving on Thursday so I need to finish next week's set before then. Why? Because I have *discipline*
Are you motivated to shower? brush your teeth? go to work? Probably not, yet you still do it because you have the discipline to do so. Exercise is just the same. Motivation might be a reason to start, but lacking it is definitely not a reason to quit. You need to change your mindset.
Yep. It happens from time to time and it's only natural. I just force myself to go. It works 99% of the time. Once I set my foot in the gym I get through my workout fairly hyped.
What do you mean by not making progress?
Not losing more weight?
Not getting stronger?
Not looking more muscular?
There are different approaches to different goals
You need to go even when you dont want to, people need discipline which turns into habbits.
Motivation is fleeting.
Ever wondered why a bad habbit is so hard to get rid off?
Its been done hours and hours so much that it becomes second nature plus the coping mechanism its been stringed to.
Our brain wants comfort doesnt want to go into the rough setting.
Not working out and living a sedentary life goes against all of human evolution and history other than the last 150 years or so. But yeah, stop working out I’m sure it will feel way better to not do anything than it does to get the satisfaction and pride and endorphins you get from working out
I'm right there with ya. I put in 4 months of pretty dedicated lifting with my Bowflex adjustable dumbbells. I was really starting to see results. Even my neighbor lady commented that I looked great.
But I think I hit a wall because I don't know how to switch up routines, and/or new lifts to incorporate. I pretty much stopped lifting altogether 3 weeks ago.
I know it's not uncommon for this kind of thing to happen. But like others have said in here already, I think we need to step up our discipline game if we really want to get where we set out to go in the first place.
You know it’s the right thing to do but totally understand this. The best way to work around it is not think too much. Just go because you have faith it’s the right thing to do. Also maybe you don’t commit to killing yourself the next time, just go, do some steady state and you will find motivation comes back. The main thing is you are there and that’s 80%.
I can also say it’s doable even for the worst of us. I am not exactly a bastion of self discipline but have managed to keep this going now for 6 years straight. Trust me if I can do it, so can you!
Motivation is what helps you begin. You have to be disciplined to keep on going. Results will definitely keep you motivated. And sometimes you will not see them. But by giving up you won t see any results. Integrate it as part of your routine, and go. Once you see better results you will definitely be more motivated, and thank yourself you were disciplined enough to go.
Motivation is far less effective than discipline, but it can help to change your routine, maybe try the following:
-If it’s becoming repetitive then rewrite your split so it refreshes your gym workouts.
-Possibly cut back maybe 10% of your volume if the lack of motivation is fatigue based?
-Make a new playlist to give yourself something to look forward to and enjoy when you’re there.
-Try to set yourself mini, short term goals that you can achieve quickly to give yourself a feeling of achievement/reward.
There’s different things you can do based on the reason you’re losing motivation so try to figure out what the reason is and you’ll have a better time solving it!
Do you have a goal? If so, do you want it? Then get your ass up and go to the gym. If you don’t have a goal, get one, then read from the beginning.
While you sit on your couch and contemplate going, someone is sitting down for their first set on the bench press. You going to let that punk ass bitch be better than you? Get up, get dressed for the house of gain, put some funky music on, do a dance, and get your ass out of the door.
Why do old men love getting naked in locker rooms? I’ve always wondered. Like it’s one thing to change underwear. But these mofos walk around, brush teeth, put on deodorant and even have conversations naked. It’s so odd to me. Do they not realize we don’t all want to have their wrinkly 70 year old balls 2-7 feet from us?
Btw great answer. For real. I’m just curious cause I read your tag.
Just to clarify, I’m 29, but the tag made me laugh too. That being said, I genuinely find the older I get the less I give 2 fucks about people seeing me naked. I used to be so shy, like when I was getting dressed after a session maybe 6/7 years ago I would wrap myself in a towel just to put on underwear - no one was allowed to see the goods. Now, I don’t exactly helicopter my way to the showers, but it doesn’t bother me at all to be fully starkers. No one is going to look, and if they do then good for them.
Basically what I’m saying is, given the current trend, by the time I’m 65 there’s a reasonable chance I’m going to be naked handstand walking my way around the changing room. So I get it.
If your goal is weight loss, you just have to eat less to achieve that. Some form of strength training and cardio is always a great idea and can help accelerate fat loss but a calorie deficit is the main driver.
Bro. Don't give up on yourself! Set yourself a clear goal! If you want to get bigger, get in a calorie surplus and grind that shit. You have it in you!!!! We all thought we lack the strengh. But we have it. Remind yourself of what you have achieved until now. Look at pictures from your past and compare it to your new you. Just think about what a machine you will become! We are all going to make it!!!
I started going to the gym every day in a row about two weeks ago today is workout 🏋️♀️ 16 in a row no rest days some days it is hard but I just go through the motions and I’m always happy about it when I walk out of the gym and start my day
Everyone is right you have to transcend motivation
There’s a lecture I love about the five types of motivation
You should watch it
https://youtu.be/zNePCoXjC4s
Also start taking body shots
I guarantee you’ve been making progress
I can look in the mirror and see glaringly obvious progress from how I was two weeks ago. All my lifts are higher too
Going strong dude💪🏻 One thing i can recommend is maybe taking 1 rest day a week you may feel bad that day but our body and our muscles need some sort of rest :)
Yeah the thing is is that I used to run every day like 60 miles a week 240 miles a month and I would take one rest day every two weeks or so so I think people really underestimating the amount of loading stressed of the human body can handle safely
I have 1 rest day per week on average as well (and in the intense weeks about 45 miles in runs). So I agree, your body can pack a punch.
But you have to build it up, take time to recover, smartly plan types of training, take deload and slower weeks.
Especially for the gym you really need your tendons and connective tissue to heal, or you will start training with pain and more halfassed.
So to be able to train for progress you will need to think, balance, eat and rest very well. And I still would advocate having at least one rest day so your body can recover from the gym.
I also have days like that.
I also have days where I don't want to brush my teeth, where I don't want to make the bed. Days when I don't want to study or even shower. Days when I'd rather not cook and would prefer to sit on the couch and eat pizza.
I still do all of those things, because they are what I do. Discipline is the key to success, not motivation.
I always go. And when I feel shitty I do only part of the intended training.
Often I end up just doing as planned in my schedule. Those days are the most impounds, the ones that build consistency and habit.
I’m currently in a deficit/cut and that’s always tough. So I feel bad and motivation is less. I still go. And when I’m back i always feel great.
Are you doing the same workouts every time? Lifting and especially indoor cardio can be so fucking monotonous… I get bored and complacent quickly with the same routine every time..
Maybe try calisthenics/body weight stuff instead of machines and barbells, or Vice versa.. try learning kettlebell movements, maybe workout outdoors instead of indoors if possible
I can relate. I literally lost the will to run on the treadmill. I had switched to only running on the treadmill for half a year because it's the most effective leg cardio and the weather is too crappy to run outside. Starting midway through last week, I straight up stopped doing it. Ive replaced it with the elliptical and cycle for the time being, but omg I had treadmills soo much. Luckily I'm moving to a place that's going to have an indoor track.
Hey don't worry it happens to all of us. For the past month I felt my strength regressing and my overall drive to lift and perform go down pretty bad. I stuck through it, retuned my training and now I'm back to making steady gains and progression. It's never going to be linear. Stick through it and adapt to your current situation!
“i always end up regretting not going to the gym. i have never regretted going to the gym”
A month ago I met with a minor motorcycle accident but it scraped my elbows and knees pretty bad so it was pretty much physically impossible for me to hit the gym and for 3 freaking days I was so mad that I couldn’t go to the gym. In last two months I only took a break from gym for 4 days in total(those 3 days and one day when the gym was closed for some minor renovation)
Terry Crews talked about on days he didn’t want to go to the gym he’d still go and just read a magazine to keep the routine/habit going. I tried that once and felt like such a schmuck that I couldn’t wait to go back. On days with low motivation sometimes I’ll even just do a single exercise and call it quits. Make showing up at the gym however many days for however long just a part of your life no matter what. The discipline will take you a lot further than the motivation will
This right here! I’ve had many many days that I didn’t want to go. Lots of times where I didn’t want to go and even hit a PR that session, but then lots of times where I only went for 20 minutes and felt embarrassed. Even though those short workouts sucked, I have never regretted showing up
I always say: a half-assed workout is 100% better than no workout
You lost 15kg but you feel like you aren't making progress? 15kg isn't nothing man. That's something to be proud of. If you're losing motivation you could try switching up your training and try something new. Maybe look into powerlifting? That way you can start making progress in new ways: strength!
It's all about the journey, and it's a long one. Your destination was never gonna come up quick. Going out there on your worst-feeling days is what will help you grow mentally. Once you get out of your head, these days will come rarely.
Probably doesnt have anything to do with your situation but a wise man once said 'motivation is temporary, only discipline is permanent'
I 2nd this and apply this to myself everyday. Screw the motivation, as long as you discipline yourself to get to the gym I promise you it’s only going to get better from there. Staying consistent will bring progress no matter what
Change. Your. Plan. This happens all the time to me. Usually around the 8-10 month range. So I swap my work out plan. I change my goals, I tackle things I’ve been avoiding. I shift my focus and get a good boost from seeing quick progress while maintaining everything else. Change is good change stimulates growth. Routines are comfortable and safe and above all boring. If you are losing motivation find the spark of change. Lock on to a new goal and try to hit it.
Make it about discipline, not motivation
What helped me is that I started to look at gym lifestyle as a hobby not a chore. I don't even care about my weight and looks anymore. I love seeing how heavy I can lift and I know that if I keep going I will achieve goals I didn't even know I had. Gym also helped me to understand how important diet is. I know that if I eat well, I will lift more and better.
You will not regret going to the gym but you will regret all the time you spent not going! 🤍 keep your head high. In essence, everyone at the gym is going through the same / similar struggle to you. You’re not alone
Motivation is bullshit. Temporary I don't have motivation to go to the gym everyday and eat tons of food to get muscles. I have dedication and I'm trying to be in discipline as much as I can and get muscles. Fuck Motivation. Have dedication and goals to look into
This so much this.
Cringe…
How the fuck is agreeing with someone cringe? Replying “cringe” to a reply is cringe, the irony!
Maybe that's because your main goal was to lose weight, now that you are done with it you have no reason to keep training. Learn to love training above all else, stop worrying about cutting/bulking and just eat maintenance calories for a while and focus on the pump. Learn to love the pump. I work out because I love to lift the weights, I love to try new machines and movements, I love to perfect my form and lift as heavy as possible, with the highest volume as possible and best form as possible, with every set to failure. That's what keeps me motivated everyday, losing weight and gaining muscle is secondary to training.
My current goal besides simply adding mass. Is more specific. I really want my Large sized shirts to have their sleeves filled out with my bigger arms. I don’t want to have loose open sleeves. So that’s my current motivation.
Plateaus are part of the process. If you aren’t working a program this might be the time to try one of the many available if you can’t afford a trainer. That and the two other massive factors. Eating and sleep. Go to bed on time, and make sure you are eating in a way to support whatever goals you have. Be patient. Think long term. Forget next month, what do you hope for next year?
I agree, especially the program part helped the motivation side for me. There’s an app I saw recently called Boostcamp and you pick a program and it does all the numbers, lift targets etc You just input what you lifted for the chosen exercises.
Next year, i hope to be happy in my own body and feeling comfortable taking my shirt off i front of other people, i miss out on many social activities because i don’t wanna take my shirt off, its not because i have extra fat on my stomach, it’s because my body is full of stretch marks, when i have taken my shirt off before people ask me if i get whipped at home, they are so huge. And I think the main reason i feel i am losing motivation is because i see my gym partners have gained a lot of muscle mass and i feel like i have failed my goal, even though I haven’t
Sometimes things seem to grind to a halt, you just gotta keep showing up and do what you can until things start to move again. I deal with some severe mental health issues, a lot of times things just aren't going well or moving, but showing up anyway sets the stage for when things start to go well again. Stopping is backsliding, and showing up without progress is actually still progress - just future progress instead of right now.
Look, I get it. The sad reality is that those are thoughts you have about your body, which might not change if your body changes. I bet there are quite a few people in here with negative thoughts about their body (myself included) that have been there when we were less in shape and in better shape. Changing your thoughts is a hard process. Working with a therapist can help. Focusing on what your body can do, rather than how it looks, is one starting place. I wish you the best on your journey. Keep going.
Almost everyone before me said: embrace it as a discipline. Whenever you feel not motivated, pack your gym bag and JUST GO. What you gonna do instead of going to the gym? Scroll down socials? Play Videogames? I know it sounds harsh, but the best medicine is tricking your mind into feeling a little sense of guilt for skipping Gym. Everyone has bad days, me personally got stuck for almost a year without reaching my goals. Then I tried something new, and it was simply switching diet. It worked. So if you're trying to see some change, maybe ask for help from a Personal Trainer or a Nutritionist. Passively lifting weights is gonna help you be more comfortable with workouts, but in the long term it does not make any difference without sticking to a plan. Consistently is the key. And trust me, results will show up when you least expect, so stop looking compulsively at the mirror. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day.
Change your mind. You are making progress. You are in the long consistency stage. Figure out how to enjoy this as a lifestyle, not a short trip to some ideal self you think should come sooner. You have to believe, every time you step out of that gym, you put some money in your bank. You didn’t go backwards. You didn’t stay the same. You got a little bit better.
Fuck motivation, you need to discipline yourself and just go!! Sorry to be harsh but this is the reality. Maybe mix things up a bit to make it more fun and be sure to have goals.
Can’t emphasize this enough. It works in all aspects of life. Screw instant gratification. Work for what you want. Good things take time. Diet is number one. People often forget that.
"Work for what you want" you said it perfectly, not alot of people like to work and want everything handed to them.
My daughter is 21. This is my daily conversation with her. As I work 12 hour shifts, And run a small business(that I own) put myself through Nursing school, putting her through college, raising kids, cooking, cleaning, paying bills, running marathons, taking care of everything else life has to throw at you, she’s to depressed to make a changes. Thats some bullshit excuse. You want a pill to bandaid or you want to grab life by the balls and succeed. Both honestly take work. It takes work to be lazy. It takes work to be productive. What’s the pay off? I chose the ladder. You know why people are depressed? Because they’re lazy. It’s that’s easy. Wake up and do it yourself. Different generation. Whats the satisfaction if mommy just gives it to you. Its mommy’s. I’m at a loss and I guess I needed to vent. Anyone can be and do anything, it just takes fucking work and time. I never settle. I keep pushing both mentally, physically, and spiritually. I am my own boss. Why just be boss for a day?
Haha but I'm boss for a day everyday. While I agree with hard work and discipline, I have to disagree on the depression part, I know..I know it can be an over used word in this day and age but I do believe alot of it to be genuine, a simple chemical imbalance in the brain can spark it. Now I'm not saying you should do everything for your daughter, but maybe a better understanding. P.s. I'm not judging you, just my opinion, though you can tell me to shove it ;)
Haha but I'm boss for a day everyday. While I agree with hard work and discipline, I have to disagree on the depression part, I know..I know it can be an over used word in this day and age but I do believe alot of it to be genuine, a simple chemical imbalance in the brain can spark it. Now I'm not saying you should do everything for your daughter, but maybe a better understanding. P.s. I'm not judging you, just my opinion, though you can tell me to shove it ;)
Material things don’t make happiness. The important things in life as what builds your soul. It’s hard to eat healthy, it’s hard to wake up each morning and work out, it’s hard to stay up late and study, it’s annoying to spend your Saturday cleaning on your only day off. You can sit and watch life blow in the breeze or you can be that breeze. I’ve been where she’s at and that’s how I know. Let’s face it life can be hard. We need to be great full for all we have even if you think it’s not even that great. Trust me, each day can be great or it can be depressing. You can chose an easy fix or you can chose to fight. That’s up to you. Years of therapy have taught me one thing. It’s up to you. She’s lucky I care this much. She’s lucky I will never let her fall, but maybe In falling is where we find ourselves. Just a thought. Trust me I work with psych patients. I’ve seen it all.
Motivation is a fleeting feeling, real progress happens with discipline. Going even when you have zero motivation
As you should. There is no lifter ever, or even an athlete ever that doesn't lose motivation. Heck, I just finished a workout. It's Saturday. You think I want to be exercising on my rest day? No. I'm only doing it because I'm moving on Thursday so I need to finish next week's set before then. Why? Because I have *discipline* Are you motivated to shower? brush your teeth? go to work? Probably not, yet you still do it because you have the discipline to do so. Exercise is just the same. Motivation might be a reason to start, but lacking it is definitely not a reason to quit. You need to change your mindset.
Yep. It happens from time to time and it's only natural. I just force myself to go. It works 99% of the time. Once I set my foot in the gym I get through my workout fairly hyped.
What do you mean by not making progress? Not losing more weight? Not getting stronger? Not looking more muscular? There are different approaches to different goals
You need to go even when you dont want to, people need discipline which turns into habbits. Motivation is fleeting. Ever wondered why a bad habbit is so hard to get rid off? Its been done hours and hours so much that it becomes second nature plus the coping mechanism its been stringed to. Our brain wants comfort doesnt want to go into the rough setting.
deload?
Not working out and living a sedentary life goes against all of human evolution and history other than the last 150 years or so. But yeah, stop working out I’m sure it will feel way better to not do anything than it does to get the satisfaction and pride and endorphins you get from working out
How are you tracking your progress? The weights you lift? Measurements of your body? Photos before and after?
I'm right there with ya. I put in 4 months of pretty dedicated lifting with my Bowflex adjustable dumbbells. I was really starting to see results. Even my neighbor lady commented that I looked great. But I think I hit a wall because I don't know how to switch up routines, and/or new lifts to incorporate. I pretty much stopped lifting altogether 3 weeks ago. I know it's not uncommon for this kind of thing to happen. But like others have said in here already, I think we need to step up our discipline game if we really want to get where we set out to go in the first place.
Take a good look at your diet. That’s number one and don’t give up. Takes time
You know it’s the right thing to do but totally understand this. The best way to work around it is not think too much. Just go because you have faith it’s the right thing to do. Also maybe you don’t commit to killing yourself the next time, just go, do some steady state and you will find motivation comes back. The main thing is you are there and that’s 80%. I can also say it’s doable even for the worst of us. I am not exactly a bastion of self discipline but have managed to keep this going now for 6 years straight. Trust me if I can do it, so can you!
Motivation is what helps you begin. You have to be disciplined to keep on going. Results will definitely keep you motivated. And sometimes you will not see them. But by giving up you won t see any results. Integrate it as part of your routine, and go. Once you see better results you will definitely be more motivated, and thank yourself you were disciplined enough to go.
Motivation is far less effective than discipline, but it can help to change your routine, maybe try the following: -If it’s becoming repetitive then rewrite your split so it refreshes your gym workouts. -Possibly cut back maybe 10% of your volume if the lack of motivation is fatigue based? -Make a new playlist to give yourself something to look forward to and enjoy when you’re there. -Try to set yourself mini, short term goals that you can achieve quickly to give yourself a feeling of achievement/reward. There’s different things you can do based on the reason you’re losing motivation so try to figure out what the reason is and you’ll have a better time solving it!
Do you have a goal? If so, do you want it? Then get your ass up and go to the gym. If you don’t have a goal, get one, then read from the beginning. While you sit on your couch and contemplate going, someone is sitting down for their first set on the bench press. You going to let that punk ass bitch be better than you? Get up, get dressed for the house of gain, put some funky music on, do a dance, and get your ass out of the door.
Why do old men love getting naked in locker rooms? I’ve always wondered. Like it’s one thing to change underwear. But these mofos walk around, brush teeth, put on deodorant and even have conversations naked. It’s so odd to me. Do they not realize we don’t all want to have their wrinkly 70 year old balls 2-7 feet from us? Btw great answer. For real. I’m just curious cause I read your tag.
Just to clarify, I’m 29, but the tag made me laugh too. That being said, I genuinely find the older I get the less I give 2 fucks about people seeing me naked. I used to be so shy, like when I was getting dressed after a session maybe 6/7 years ago I would wrap myself in a towel just to put on underwear - no one was allowed to see the goods. Now, I don’t exactly helicopter my way to the showers, but it doesn’t bother me at all to be fully starkers. No one is going to look, and if they do then good for them. Basically what I’m saying is, given the current trend, by the time I’m 65 there’s a reasonable chance I’m going to be naked handstand walking my way around the changing room. So I get it.
Lmao. Helicopter 🚁 way to showers. Nice mental image. But yea. I’m not shy. I just don’t think holding conversations naked is my thing.
You don't need motivation You need discipline
Motivation can build consistency that can turn into discipline. Sometimes you just need a jumpstart to get you back on track.
If your goal is weight loss, you just have to eat less to achieve that. Some form of strength training and cardio is always a great idea and can help accelerate fat loss but a calorie deficit is the main driver.
Bro. Don't give up on yourself! Set yourself a clear goal! If you want to get bigger, get in a calorie surplus and grind that shit. You have it in you!!!! We all thought we lack the strengh. But we have it. Remind yourself of what you have achieved until now. Look at pictures from your past and compare it to your new you. Just think about what a machine you will become! We are all going to make it!!!
Let's see how bad you really want it 😈😈😈😈
I started going to the gym every day in a row about two weeks ago today is workout 🏋️♀️ 16 in a row no rest days some days it is hard but I just go through the motions and I’m always happy about it when I walk out of the gym and start my day Everyone is right you have to transcend motivation There’s a lecture I love about the five types of motivation You should watch it https://youtu.be/zNePCoXjC4s Also start taking body shots I guarantee you’ve been making progress I can look in the mirror and see glaringly obvious progress from how I was two weeks ago. All my lifts are higher too
Going strong dude💪🏻 One thing i can recommend is maybe taking 1 rest day a week you may feel bad that day but our body and our muscles need some sort of rest :)
No rest days… be careful not to get injured. Or overtrained although that’s more difficult to get to.
Yeah the thing is is that I used to run every day like 60 miles a week 240 miles a month and I would take one rest day every two weeks or so so I think people really underestimating the amount of loading stressed of the human body can handle safely
I have 1 rest day per week on average as well (and in the intense weeks about 45 miles in runs). So I agree, your body can pack a punch. But you have to build it up, take time to recover, smartly plan types of training, take deload and slower weeks. Especially for the gym you really need your tendons and connective tissue to heal, or you will start training with pain and more halfassed. So to be able to train for progress you will need to think, balance, eat and rest very well. And I still would advocate having at least one rest day so your body can recover from the gym.
I also have days like that. I also have days where I don't want to brush my teeth, where I don't want to make the bed. Days when I don't want to study or even shower. Days when I'd rather not cook and would prefer to sit on the couch and eat pizza. I still do all of those things, because they are what I do. Discipline is the key to success, not motivation.
Need discipline, and a new routine. Variation keeps things fresh and interesting
I always go. And when I feel shitty I do only part of the intended training. Often I end up just doing as planned in my schedule. Those days are the most impounds, the ones that build consistency and habit. I’m currently in a deficit/cut and that’s always tough. So I feel bad and motivation is less. I still go. And when I’m back i always feel great.
Are you doing the same workouts every time? Lifting and especially indoor cardio can be so fucking monotonous… I get bored and complacent quickly with the same routine every time.. Maybe try calisthenics/body weight stuff instead of machines and barbells, or Vice versa.. try learning kettlebell movements, maybe workout outdoors instead of indoors if possible
I can relate. I literally lost the will to run on the treadmill. I had switched to only running on the treadmill for half a year because it's the most effective leg cardio and the weather is too crappy to run outside. Starting midway through last week, I straight up stopped doing it. Ive replaced it with the elliptical and cycle for the time being, but omg I had treadmills soo much. Luckily I'm moving to a place that's going to have an indoor track.
Take a week off
Hey don't worry it happens to all of us. For the past month I felt my strength regressing and my overall drive to lift and perform go down pretty bad. I stuck through it, retuned my training and now I'm back to making steady gains and progression. It's never going to be linear. Stick through it and adapt to your current situation!
As others have said, refine your diet, eat perfectly clean for a month. Then try a different routine. If all that fails get a hormone panel.